U.S. patent number 4,122,576 [Application Number 05/814,158] was granted by the patent office on 1978-10-31 for high-speed floor treating machine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The National Super Service Company. Invention is credited to John F. Bevington, Paul Meeker, Michael Savidge.
United States Patent |
4,122,576 |
Bevington , et al. |
October 31, 1978 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
High-speed floor treating machine
Abstract
A manually-operated floor polishing machine comprising a
polishing pad or brush rotatable at a speed above 660 rpm, pressing
against the floor with a force of less than about 25 lbs., and
positioned so that one segment of the pad presses harder against
the floor than the other, such as by mounting the pad's driving
plate or disc so that its plane of rotation is at an angle less
than about 10.degree. to the plane of the floor. The rotating
polishing pad is mounted under the driving plate which plate is
driven by an electric motor. The driving plate and motor are
mounted on a frame, which frame is supported by a pair of parallel
wheels located so that most of the weight of the machine is
supported by these wheels. This whole assembly is guided by a
rearwardly extending handle attached to this frame.
Inventors: |
Bevington; John F. (Toledo,
OH), Savidge; Michael (Oregon, OH), Meeker; Paul
(Toledo, OH) |
Assignee: |
The National Super Service
Company (Toledo, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
25214323 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/814,158 |
Filed: |
July 11, 1977 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/49.1; 15/98;
451/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
11/162 (20130101); A47L 11/40 (20130101); A47L
11/4038 (20130101); A47L 11/4058 (20130101); A47L
11/4069 (20130101); A47L 11/4072 (20130101); A47L
11/4075 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
11/00 (20060101); A47L 11/162 (20060101); A47L
011/162 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/49R,5R,52,98,385
;51/177 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
159,820 |
|
Nov 1954 |
|
AU |
|
2,036,935 |
|
Dec 1970 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Roberts; Edward L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kirk; Hugh Adam
Claims
We claim;:
1. In a floor treating machine comprising:
A. a frame,
B. a guiding and control handle attached to said frame,
C. a supporting means of said frame,
D. an electric motor mounted on said frame,
E. a driving means rotated by said motor and mounted on said frame
forwardly of said supporting means, and
F. a floor contacting means releasably attached to the floor side
of said driving means,
the improvement comprising:
G. means for rotating said floor contacting means at a speed
greater than about 600 rpm,
H. means whereby the angle of the plane of rotation of said floor
contacting means is preset to be less than about 10.degree. to the
plane of the floor being treated, and
I. means for balancing the weight of said machine on said
supporting means whereby the majority of the weight of said machine
is supported by said supporting means.
2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said frame has a
longitudinally centrally offset circular shaped portion for
covering said polishing means.
3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said guiding handle
includes means for controlling said motor.
4. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said guiding handle
includes means for releasably attaching said handle to said
housing.
5. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said supporting means are
vertically adjustable.
6. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said supporting means
comprises two parallel and axially aligned wheels.
7. A machine according to claim 1 including a shaft for mounting
said rotating floor contacting means, said shaft being journalled
in a pair of axially spaced self-aligning bearings attached to said
frame.
8. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said electric motor is a
permanent magnet motor.
9. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said electric motor has a
horsepower between about 1/2 and 2.
10. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said motor comprises a
direct current motor and includes a battery mounted on said frame
for supplying current for said motor.
11. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said floor contacting
means is rotated between about 700 and 2000 rpm.
12. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the angle of the plane
of rotation of said rotating floor contacting means to said floor
is between about 1/2 and 8.degree. .
13. A machine according to claim 12 wherein the angle between said
plane of rotation and said floor is between about 1.degree. and
5.degree. .
14. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said rotating floor
contacting means comprises an annular shaped brush.
15. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said rotating floor
contacting means comprises a compressible pad.
16. A machine according to claim 1 including a centrifugal clutch
between said motor and said rotating floor contacting means.
17. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said frame includes a
housing having a substantially horizontal platform.
18. A machine according to claim 17 wherein said driving means is
mounted under said platform.
19. A machine according to claim 17 wherein said handle is attached
near the rear of said platform.
20. A machine according to claim 17 wherein said housing is
provided with a covered aperture for readily demounting said floor
contacting means.
21. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said motor when
connectible to a 110-120 volt AC source starts and operates from
said source limited by about a 20 ampere circuit breaking
device.
22. A machine according to claim 21 wherein said source is limited
by about 15 amperes.
23. A machine according to claim 1 including a belt and pulleys
between said plate by said motor for rotating said floor contacting
means.
24. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said floor contacting
means is rotated at a speed of between about 800 and 1500 rpm.
25. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the pressure on said
rotating floor-contacting means is less than about 25 pounds.
26. A machine according to claim 25 wherein the pressure of said
floor contacting means on the floor is between about 5 lbs. and 20
lbs.
27. A machine according to claim 26 wherein said pressure of said
floor contacting means is between about 7 lbs. and 15 lbs.
28. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the axis of said motor
is substantially over the axis of said supporting means.
29. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said driving means
comprises a plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Center Weighted Machines
Previously some electric motor driven floor polishers comprising
rotating horizontal discs with polishing pads thereon were rotated
less than 400 rpm, and usually, at about 300 rpm. These machines
were center weighted so that their polishing pads were evenly
pressed against the floor so that all of the surface of said
polishing pad engaged the floor. This means that the polishing pad
supported the whole weight of the polisher motor and the machine,
and the pressure per square inch was evenly distributed over the
whole area of the pad. Thus, if the polishing pad with this weight
on the pad was increased in speed beyond 400 rpm, the operator
found it difficult to control the machine, particularly when the
exact parallelism of the pad with the floor was changed slightly by
tilting the machine and its polishing pad, which normally occurs
during operation.
Furthermore, as the speed of the evenly pressed polishing pad
machine with the center weight was increased beyond 400 rpm, the
electric current required for its driving motor was also increased
so that normal 110-120 volt AC circuits would draw more than their
fuses or circuit breakers could supply; namely, more than 15 or 20
amperes. We have also found that using a larger diameter pad at a
given speed, because of the increase in peripheral speed of the
polishing pad and the increase in the amount of pad contacting the
floor, the ampere consumption more rapidly increased to beyond the
normal fusing point of 15 or 20 amperes.
Divided Weight Machines
Also previously, there have been divided weight floor machines
where weight on the pad or brush was reduced by supporting some of
the weight on the wheels, such as shown in the Geary U.S. Pat. No.
1,694,738 issued Dec. 11, 1928, and the Myers U.S. Pat. No.
2,079,946 issued May 11, 1937. The important feature of these two
patents is the placement of the rotating pad or brush under the
drive plate so that it is substantially flat or evenly pressed on
the surface to be treated. If the pad speed is increased above 600
rpm on this type of machine, the reduction of the weight on the pad
is not sufficient to keep the ampere consumption below 20 amperes;
because all of the pad surface contacts the floor, the resistance
created by friction between the pad and floor is still too great to
keep the amperes drawn by the electric driving motor below 20 and
preferably 15 amperes.
Accordingly, such machines would require either large electric
motors with special high ampere circuit connections or would have
to be powered by a 5 to 10 horsepower internal combustion engine.
Such polishers are large, complicated, difficult to maintain,
noisy, and difficult to operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, the high-speed floor treating and/or polishing
machine of this invention comprises: (A) a housing or frame having
a substantially horizontal platform upon which is mounted at least
two spaced anti-friction supports such as skids, rollers, or
wheels, which continuously contact the floor to support the
machine; (B) a control and guiding handle extending rearwardly of
the frame; (C) an electric motor for rotating a floor contacting
means, which motor is mounted on the frame and which may include
gearing between the motor and floor contacting means; and (D) floor
contacting means rotating at a high speed including a polishing or
scrubbing pad or brush, extending forwardly of the wheels on the
frame.
The improvements of this invention comprise means for mounting the
floor contacting means so that its plane of rotation is at an angle
of not more than about 10.degree. to the floor being treated, that
the speed of rotation of the floor contacting means is greater than
about 600 rpm, and that most of the weight of the machine is
supported by the spaced supporting wheels for the machine.
Accordingly the source of power for rotating the floor contacting
means, such as the electric motor, or the electric motor and its
batteries, is mounted on the frame substantially over the spaced
anti-friction supports such as wheels, so as to insure that the
weight on the floor contacting means that contacts the floor is
less than about 25 lbs. and preferably between about 5 lbs. and 20
lbs., and more preferably between about 7 lbs. and 15 lbs.
If an outside source is used for powering the electric motor, a
relatively low ampere consumption motor is employed, such as a
permanent magnet electric motor, that can receive its source of
power from a normal 110-120 AC voltage circuit, have a horsepower
between about 1/2 and 2, and under normal maximum operating
conditions will not draw more than 20 amperes from the circuit, and
preferably less than 15 amperes. Also, this electric motor should
be able to start under load from a circuit limited by a 20 ampere
circuit breaker or fusing device.
If desired, a centrifugal clutch may be provided in the driving
gear between the motor and the floor contacting means to reduce
starting torque. This gearing may comprise pulleys and a belt,
however, other types of gearing may be employed, including various
gearing if the motor has a normal speed different from the required
speed for the floor contacting means.
The floor contacting means includes a polishing or scrubbing means,
such as a pad, brush or the like and is normally mounted under a
rotatable driving plate or disc, which plate has an attached shaft
mounted to the frame or housing. This shaft may be preadjusted at
an angle to the frame so that this driving plate or disc together
with the floor contacting means, will have their planes of rotation
preset at the same angle of less than about 10.degree. to the floor
when the machine supporting wheels and the floor contacting means
are on the floor in the machine operating position. Preferably this
angle is between about 1/2.degree. and about 8 .degree., and more
preferably between about 1.degree. and 5.degree.. One manner in
which the shaft for the driving plate may be mounted to the frame
or housing may comprise a pair of fixed offset self-aligning
bearings spaced axially along the shaft. This angle also may be
adjusted or preset by raising or lowering the supporting
anti-friction means or wheels on the frame, even though the shaft
for the driving plate is substantially vertical to the housing and
the driving plate is substantially parallel to the housing in which
it is mounted. This adjustment of the two spaced anti-friction
supports or wheels may be accomplished by mounting the axles for
the anti-friction supports or wheels in slots, on screws, or on
levers, with shims and/or locking screws for maintaining their
positions with respect to the frame. This angle varies of course
depending upon the diameter of the floor contacting means or pad,
the pressure of the pad onto the floor, the compressibility of the
pad, the speed at which the pad is to be rotated, etc.
The floor contacting means usually is disc-shaped and has a
diameter of at least about 15inches, is rotated at at least 600 rpm
and preferably above about 1000 rpm, i.e., within speed ranges
between 700 and 2000 rpm, and preferably between about 800 and 1500
rpm. Although the shaft for the driving plate or disc for the floor
contacting means may be mounted centrally of the housing, it has
been found that if it is offset slightly from the longitudinal
centerline of the housing, such will aid in guiding the machine by
compensating for the direction of rotation of the floor contacting
means while in contact with the floor. For example, if the floor
contacting means rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed from
above, the offset should be to the right, and if the floor
contacting means rotates in a counterclockwise direction when
viewed from above, the offset should be to the left.
The guiding handle is attached to the frame, preferably near its
rear so that turning of the machine may be easily accomplished as
well as to directly guide the machine. This permits walking up and
down along straight paths to perform the floor treating operation
without having to swing the machine from side-to-side as is
normally done with polishers which are center weighted.
Although the floor contacting means rotates at an angle to the
floor so that only a portion thereof contacts the floor at any one
time, and although the weight on this floor contacting portion is
reduced to below 25 lbs., such as say about 12 lbs., the pressure
per square inch of this contacting means on the floor is actually
increased, resulting in improvement in floor treating and polishing
results, and makes spray buffing practical. This improvement
increases the aggression of the floor contacting means.
Furthermore, because the whole surface of the contacting means is
not evenly pressed on the floor, its drag is reduced and the ampere
load on the motor is correspondingly reduced to below about 20
amperes or less, although the floor contacting means is being
rotated above about 600 rpm.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce a simple,
efficient, effective, easy to manipulate, economic, high-speed
floor polishing, spray buffing, and scrubbing machine that does not
burn the floor.
Another object is to produce such a machine driven by an electric
motor having a low ampere consumption, which can start and run in
its maximum operating condition from a 110-120 volt AC electrical
current source limited by a 20 ampere circuit breaker or fusing
device.
Another object is to produce a high-speed floor treating machine
which can be operated at a normal walking speed in a straight line
and thus polish or treat a floor faster than previously known
machines, materially saving time and labor expenses for the
operation thereof.
Another object is to produce such a high-speed floor treating
machine which can produce high gloss on a hard finished floor, be
used for spray buffing to soften a floor coating to remove black
marks thereon, and/or be used for dry stripping a floor coating by
reducing the amount of cleaning solution previously used with
low-speed floor treating machines.
Still another object is to produce such a high-speed floor treating
machine which does not wobble, cannot be easily tilted forward or
backward to overload the driving motor therefor, and is easy to
manipulate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS
The above mentioned and other features, objects and advantages, and
a manner of attaining them are described more specifically below by
reference to embodiments of this invention shown in the
accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. I is a side elevation of one embodiment of the floor treating
machine according to this invention resting on a section of a floor
to be treated;
FIG.II is a top elevation of the machine shown in FIG. I;
FIG. III is a bottom view of the machine shown in FIGS. I and II as
seen from the floor with the segment of the floor contacting means
that presses harder on the floor being hatched;
FIG. IV is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines IV--IV of
FIGS. II and III showing means for driving and angularly mounting
of the floor contacting means, namely a polishing or scrubbing
pad;
FIG. V is a view taken along line V--V of FIG. IV but according to
the scale of FIGS. I, II and III with the machine above it shown in
dot-dash lines;
FIG. VI is a partial vertical sectional view similar to FIG. IV of
another type of floor contacting means, namely a brush; and
FIG. VII is a side elevational view of a self-contained embodiment
of this invention similar to that shown in FIG. I, but employing a
battery powered electric motor, and with the control and guiding
handle removed from its socket in the housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A. The Frame
Referring first to the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS.
I through V, the high-speed floor treating machine 10 comprises a
substantially horizontal platform housing or frame 12 which may
comprise a substantially rectangular portion 14 having a downwardly
extending peripheral flange 15. The forward part of this
rectangular portion 14 may be integrally connected via the flange
15 to a circular portion 16, which may also have a peripheral
downwardly extending flange 17 to provide a covering for the
rotating driving plate and also may include a skirt extension (not
shown) to prevent splashing by the rotating contacting means when
used with a liquid.
Attached to the upper surface of the rectangular platform portion
14 at the rearward end thereof may be mounted an electric motor 21
in a housing 20. Also mounted on the top of the platform 14 may be
an inverted cup-shaped cap member 26 for covering the upper exposed
end of the bearings for mounting the shaft 44 for the driving plate
52. The slight tilt of the shaft 44 from the vertical, or from a
perpendicular to the floor F, as shown in FIGS. II and IV, places
the planes of rotation of the driving disc on plate 52 and the
floor contacting means or pad 50 at an angle .alpha. to the floor
F. This partial floor contact, or shaded area .beta. in FIG. III of
the pad 50, reduces the normal frictional contact with the floor F,
which reduces the ampere load consumption of the driving motor 21
from what it would be if the floor contacting means were completely
in contact with the floor.
Beneath the motor 21 in the housing 20 and supporting most of its
weight may be at least two wheels 22, herein shown to be parallel
and axially aligned, journalled on stub shafts 23 anchored in
vertically slotted ears 13 extending downwardly from opposite
parallel longitudinal flanged sides 15 of this housing 12 as shown
in FIG. III. Thus direct forward and backward movement of the
machine 10 in the direction of the arrows 55 as shown in FIG. II
may be accomplished easily by the operator holding the guiding
handle 32. The slots in the ears 13 not filled by the stub shafts
23 are filled by different thickness shims 23' (see FIG. IV) on the
same or opposite sides of the shafts 23 to raise and lower the
wheels 22 with respect to the frame 12, which also is a manner for
preadjusting the angle .alpha. of the rotating floor contacting
means 50 with the floor F. These shims 23' and shaft 23 may then be
held in place by a set screw 13'. Instead of the slotted ears 13
for adjusting the height and angle of the frame 12 and plane of
rotation of the floor contacting means 50 with respect to the floor
F, the wheels 22 may be mounted on threaded stems or lever arms as
shown in the above mentioned Geary and Myers U.S. patents,
respectively.
At the rear end of the housing 12, such as for example on the rear
end of the platform 14 and attached to flange 15, there may be
provided a C-clamp 24 with a screw clamping lever 25 for clamping
the lower end of a guiding and control handle 30.
B. The Control Handle
The lower end of the guiding and control handle 30 may be provided
with a cross-pin 31 which may limit both the amount of insertion of
the handle into the C-clamp 24 as well as to limit its rotation in
the socket of clamp 24 when clamped by the lever 25. At the other
and upper end of the guiding handle 30 there may be provided a
T-shaped manual grip handle 32 having a pair of oppositely
extending normally open motor starting switch levers 33, either or
both of which levers must be squeezed against the cross grip
portion of the T-handle 32 in order to start an/or engage the motor
21 for rotating the floor contacting means 50. Intermediate the
ends of the handle 30 there may be provided one or a pair of
diverging wing brackets 35, or 35 and 36, between which and/or the
T-part of the handle 32, an electric cable 37 may be wound for
storage as shown in FIG. I when the machine 10 is not in use. One
end 38 of this cable 37 may be extended through the hollow handle
30, connected through the switch of levers 33, and project from the
lower end of the handle 30 for connection to the electric motor 21.
The other and free end of the electric cable 37 is provided with a
plug 34 which may be plugged into any standard 110-120 volt AC
circuit outlet socket as is commonly employed in domestic and
commercial establishments so that an extra power source from
special circuit outlets is not required. Although the standard
110-120 volt AC circuit generally has its amperage limited by a 15
or 20 ampere fuse or circuit breaker, the current drawn by the
motor 21 does not rupture the fuse on circuit breaker when being
used even under its most strenuous operating conditions, so that
the floor treating machine of this invention can be used by
connection to most electric outlets.
C. The Motor and Gearing
The motor 21 in the housing 20 may be a high-speed motor, such as a
3000 rpm permanent magnet type motor, and it may be geared down by
a pulley arrangement as shown in FIGS. IV and V. The driving shaft
26 of the motor 21 extends through an aperture provided therefor in
the platform 14 to be connected to a driving pulley 28. This pulley
28 may be connected directly to the shaft 26, or through a
centrifugal type clutch 27 in the event the motor 21 is required to
get up to speed before engagement and driving the floor contacting
means 50. The motor 21 may be mounted by four bolts 29 extending
through slots 19 in the housing platform 14 so that longitudinal
adjustment of the motor 21 may be had both for balancing of the
weight of the motor on the wheels 22 and for tensioning a belt 40
for driving the floor contacting means or pad 50. This balancing of
the weight of the machine 10 between the wheels 22 and the floor
contacting means 50 can be preadjusted as described so that the
majority of the weight of the machine 10 is on the wheels 22 and
less than about 25 lbs. is supported by the rotating floor
contacting means 50 that is at the angle to the floor when in
operating position. Preferably the weight on the floor contacting
means or pad 50 is between about 5 lbs. and 20 lbs., and more
preferably between about 7 lbs. and 15 lbs.
The gearing or driving mechanism for the floor contacting means 50
herein comprises the belt 40 which drives a larger pulley 42 than
its driving pulley 28, for reducing the speed of the 3000 rpm motor
21 to about 1000 rpm, or by a ratio of 3 to 1. This pulley 42 may
be journalled or keyed by a key 48 to a stub shaft 44, which pulley
42 may be made integral with driving plate 52, or it may be
connected to the plate 52 by bolts 51, and the assembly may be held
to the shaft 44 by a nut 49. This shaft 44 may be journalled in the
frame or housing 12 by a pair of axially spaced self-aligning
bearings 45 and 46 along the upper end of the shaft 44, which
bearings 45 and 46 are rigidly bolted to the platform 14 by means
of bolts 47 which extend through slightly enlarged holes 18 in the
bearing flanges and the platform 14. These enlarged holes 18 permit
the vertical offsetting of these bearings 45 and 46 with respect to
are slightly enlarged relative to the diameter of the bolts 47 to
each other as another means for presetting the angle .alpha. of the
plane of rotation of the driving plate 52 and conjointly the plane
of rotation of the floor contacting means 50.
It is to be understood that although there is a speed reduction
between the speed of the driving pulley 28 or motor 21 and that of
the driving plate pulley 42, that other driving means may be
employed including gears or other different speed reduction
mechanisms, or the shaft 44 may be directly driven by a motor
depending, upon the speed of the motor and its cantilevered weight
on the floor contacting means or pad 50. The faster the floor
contacting means or pad 50 rotates, the quicker and the better the
finish on the floor F is cleaned, polished and hardened.
D. The Floor Contacting Means
The rotating driving plate 52 shown herein connected to the lower
end of the shaft 44, may comprise a rigid or metal disc 52 to which
the floor contacting means 50 may be removably attached by means of
six screws 53. Access to the screws 53 may be had through the
covered hole 54 in the circular platform 16 shown in FIG. II. This
driving plate or disc 52 is of such a diameter that the belt 40 may
be changed or a new belt installed without removal of the plate 52
from the pulley 42 or further disassembling the machine 10, in that
the belt 40 can be slipped over the periphery of the disc 52 for
fitting onto the pulley 42 and then around the pulley 28.
Referring more specifically to the floor contacting means 50, it
herein comprises a rigid backing plate or annulus 56 into which the
screws 53 are anchored (see FIG. IV). Then adhesively or otherwise
fixedly attached to this backing plate 56 may be a resilient layer
57 or brush 59 to which then may be attached a buffing and/or
polishing pad 58. This pad 58 may be removably attahced by friction
means or a holding cup, or the like, so that this pad 58 may be
replaced easily after it becomes loaded and/or worn.
This floor contacting means 50 may be replaced by an annular brush
59 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. VI which also may be attached
by a bayonet type joint instead of the screws 53.
In view of the angle .alpha. at which the lower flat surface or
plane of rotation of the floor contacting means 50 and its pad 58
or brush 59 is with the floor F, only part or a segment of the
bottom surface of pad 58 or brush 59 is in contact with the floor F
at any one time, such as the shaded area of the angle .beta. shown
in FIG. III. This shaded area .beta. may vary between about 10% and
75%, more or less, and usually is about 40% to 60% of the pad
surface.
Furthermore, this angle .alpha. can vary with the diameter of the
rotating floor contacting means or pad 50, the pressure between the
pad 50 and the floor F, the speed of the pad, the compressibility
of the pad, and other factors. The outside diameter of the rotating
floor contacting means or pad 50 usually is at least about 15
inches and preferably larger so as to further increase the
peripheral speed of floor contacting means 50. However, smaller and
larger floor contacting means may be employed, as well as two or
more adjacent rotating floor contacting means or pads on one
machine, without departing from the scope of this invention.
However, generally, depending upon the use to be made of the
machine 10, this angle .alpha. may be set at the factory when the
machine is assembled, and need not be, and preferably is not,
adjusted thereafter. This adjustment is done by vertically
offsetting the bearings 45 and 46 and/or the lowering or raising of
the wheels 22 shown in FIG. IV as described previously.
Although the plane of rotation of the floor contacting means 50 in
FIGS. I and IV is shown to be tilted downwardly in the forward
direction of the machine 10, the tilting or angle .alpha. may be
set in the opposite direction, if desired, particularly in the case
of the embodiment described below in FIG. VII.
E. A Self-Contained Machine
Referring now to the embodiment of the machine 110 shown in FIG.
VII, the frame, platform or housing 112 is shown elongated to that
for the machine 10 described above, in that in this instance, the
power source is also on the machine, namely the batteries 120 for
an electric direct current motor 121. Since the batteries 120 and
the motor 121 take up more space and are much heavier than the
alternating current electric motor 21, the housing 112 has been
extended so that substantially all of the weight of the batteries
120 and the motor 121 are supported by the wheels 122 anchored to
opposite sides of the housing 112. Also, if desired, an additional
vertically adjustable balancing wheel or caster 126 may be provided
at the rear of the frame 112 to help balance and support the
additional weight of the self-contained power plant 120 and
121.
The drive of the polishing means 50 from the motor 121 may be by a
belt means 40 or other gearing as described and shown in the
previous embodiments, or the shaft of the motor 121 may have the
driving plate 52 attahced directly to it.
Because of the elongation of the frame 112, the guiding handle 130
is farther away from the floor contacting means 50. Therefore, the
floor contacting means with its pad or brush 50 may be angled in
the opposite direction from that shown in the previous embodiments
so that it contacts the floor F at its rear side instead of its
front or far side, thus reducing the sideways torque to be
compensated for by the operator through the handle 130. The handle
130 is provided with an electric switch operated by the hand levers
133 on the T-handle 132, which switch is connected by means of
cable 138 to the motor 121. In FIG. VII, the handle 130 is shown
out of its clamping socket 124 to illustrate how easily it can be
removed for reducing the space for storage or shipping of either
the machine 110 or 10.
If desired, the batteries 120 may be mounted on a separate cart or
at a remote location and the motor 110 may be powered by an
extension cord connected between the machine and the batteries,
such as extension cord 37 described for the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1.
F. Summary
It is this unexpected discovery whereby it is possible to rotate a
polishing pad at a high speed combining a low weight pressure on
the floor contacting means or pad and holding the pad at an angle
to the floor that has enabled applicants to produce the present
machine and to design it as described above so that it does not
burn the floor, is easily controllable by the operator, and still
quickly and effectively polishes, strips, and/or scrubs the floor.
Furthermore, instead of moving the machine from side to side as
usually is done with some prior art center weighted machines,
applicants' machine may be walked forward and backward so that
larger areas can be covered in less time with maximum treating,
cleaning, buffing and/or polishing results.
Furthermore, in view of the angle of the rotating floor contacting
means or pad 50 with respect to the surface of the floor F and the
location of the wheels 22 or 122, the machine 10 or 110 is
difficult to stall or overload. Since the wheels 22 or 122 are
independently mounted, the machine 10 or 110 can be turned and
manipulated easily for getting around corners; and because of the
offset of the housing 16 and 116 shown in FIGS. II, III, and VII,
these machines 10 and 110 can also be used for getting under
overhanging objects.
Therefore, we have found the solution to rotating a floor
contacting means at speeds above 600 rpm and still obtain the
desired rapid floor treating using an electric motor but still not
consuming more than about 15 or 20 amperes is as follows: (1)
Divided the weight between the rotating floor contacting means and
wheels but support most of the weight on the wheels; and (2) Angle
the driving plate for the rotating floor contacting means so that
its plane of rotation in relation to the floor is such that the
floor contacting surface of this rotating means does not have all
of its surface on the floor at one time. This combination of weight
reduction, limiting the area of the floor contacting means on the
floor, and the high speed rotation of the floor contacting means,
maintains the advantage of the floor treating action above about
600 rpm, and also at the same time maintains the electrical ampere
load to below about 20 amperes or less during operation so that the
machine of this invention is practical for use by connection to
most common electrical outlets.
While there is described above the principles of this invention in
connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood
that this description is made only by way of example and not as a
limitation to the scope of this invention .
* * * * *